Contact lost with Mars spacecraft (BBC) {Mars Observer}

[eppur_se_muova]

Nasa's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft has been out of contact with Earth for more than a week.

Engineers have been trying to re-establish communication with the probe, which could be showing its age after 10 years in space.

The spacecraft has entered "safe mode", awaiting further instructions from controllers on Earth.

Since then, the spacecraft has not confirmed receiving a command to point one of its transmitters to Earth.

MGS was launched in November 1996, operating longer than any Martian craft.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6144092.stm

Don't worry -- there are THREE other spacecraft in Mars orbit!

[Algorem]

1. did a mothership nab it like Phobos II ?

[NOLADEM]

2. GODDAMNED SAFE MODE...I hate when my system goes to safe mode

They shouldn't be surfing so much porn on the Global Surveyor.

Safe Mode, eh?

Sucks. You can't run ANYTHING in safe mode.



;-)

[Tesha]

6. Its memory is full of dozens of copies of...

Its memory is full of dozens of copies of:

Dearest Sir:

Let me kindly introduce myself. My name is Doctor Bleen Phobodeimos
and I was recently the chief administrator of the Martian Geotechnical
University. In this capacity, I administrated an account worth more than
10¹³ Standard Galactic Zorkmids. Unfortunately, in the great upheaval
of 12834, I was illegally arrested and deposed from my position.

Happily, most of the fund remains accessible via subetheric link. So I
have come to you today with this most modest proposal, a proposal
sure to be enrichening to both you and I...

[eppur_se_muova]

3. update from BBC: Nasa fears worst for spacecraft

The US space agency (Nasa) says the veteran Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft is probably lost and unrecoverable.

The orbiter entered a "safe mode" as it struggled to control a solar panel, and engineers have not been able to contact the probe since 2 November.

Nasa will use the Rover Opportunity on the surface of the Red Planet to try to speak to the 10-year-old spacecraft in the next couple of days.

However, mission offcials concede they are not expecting success.

"Realistically, we have run through the most likely possibilities for re-establishing communication, and we are facing the likelihood that the amazing flow of scientific observations from Mars Global Surveyor is over," said Fuk Li, Mars exploration programme manager at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
***
more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6170778.stm

[NNadir]

4. I'm sorry, but I inadvertantly duped this thread.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. And you gave the *correct* name to the spacecraft ... :blush: